Pileated Woodpecker

[CGWright]

Shot this guy on one of my walks.








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[Iowa Bass Hunter]

Pretty. Heard some woodpeckers the other day. Couldn't help but think what a headache it'd create after bashing your face into wood like that.

[Transom]

Here are some of those around here. They sure make a racket when they are doing their thing.

[J D]

[12poundbass]

We have a couple around our house. The wife bought a suet feeder for them, so they hang out by the lake quite often. We’ve heard him quite a bit lately, then I looked across the lake and saw where he’s been working. Two giant holes side by side in the neighbors tree.

[jdwo2212]

They are a lot bigget than you'd think. I have one that frequents my property too. Big.. And loud. Haha

[12poundbass]

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[21XDC]

Shot this guy on one of my walks.

Are they in season? Do they taste like chicken? Seems like I'd need a few for a meal.

[Les Young]

Lots of them around my house.

[hatcreek]

Nice shots, Craig... They’re cool birds.

They, along with barred owls, are a big help in turkey hunting by getting Toms to shock gobble when they sound off.

[rboren]

Some peckerheads are endangered. I mean woodpecker. See some kind of smaller ones from cabin window. Had a large one that woke us up almost every morning banging on my western cedar siding. Finally had enough and dusted him with a 12 gauge.

[Jfish]

They are a lot bigget than you'd think. I have one that frequents my property too. Big.. And loud. Haha

Agree, even much larger than they appear in those photos.

[CGWright]

Are they in season? Do they taste like chicken? Seems like I'd need a few for a meal.

Yes, it's SS&S portion of the season. No they taste more like pheasant, with a bit of a toughness. And yes more than one needed for a meal. Luckily the bag limit for this season is 10.

[Corkpuller]

Run about 15 mph head first into a tree several thousand times a day.

Woodpeckers have an extra eyelid that shuts ever time they peck to keep the wood chips out their eyes, built in automatic flip down goggles.
And part of their eyelid swells with blood to create pressure behind the eye, each time they peck.

Their brain is surrounded by a cushioned membrane or something.

If they did not have these features, the pecking would result in a bad head ache , brain damage, and blow their eyeballs out their head.

[fr8dog]

I’ve got a ton of downy and several red breasted at the feeders. Nothing fancy like that. Which one was considered extinct until one showed up a few years ago?

[mikeSF]

had 2 of those birds fly over me while Turkey hunting a few days ago. Pretty cool birds.

[Hoot]

Thanks for the picture they are an interesting bird to observe....

With what's going on in the World you really appreciate somebody taking the time to "Shoot You The Bird"

[21XDC]

On vacation in Clare... I heard some of these peckers... I played a youtube video on my phone of these, calling sounds. It only took a few min and I saw them getting closer to me. Then one swooped down near my head as I was sitting still on the deck... It was 2ft from my head as it passed by... True story, Last summer. They are big!

[local16]

Pretty cool looking birds for sure.

[CGWright]

With what's going on in the World you really appreciate somebody taking the time to "Shoot You The Bird"

Thanks. I've been sharing my pics also in a hometown FB forum. Getting a ton of positive feedback on the idea.